PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- R.I. Department of Corrections Director Wayne Salisbury has agreed to pay a $200 penalty after failing to disclose out-of-state travel paid for by third parties as required by law.

Salisbury entered the settlement Tuesday after meeting behind closed doors with the R.I. Ethics Commission. The panel voted 4-to-2 in favor of the settlement, concluding Salisbury violated the state's ethics code when he failed to disclose six out-of-state trips on his 2023 ethics form.

As Target 12 first reported in June, Salisbury took several trips last year that were paid for by third parties but were never disclosed -- a requirement of the state ethics code.

The director quickly amended his forms after Target 12 asked about the missing trips, saying at the time it was a mistake. Salisbury echoed the sentiment Tuesday, telling reporters he was "thoroughly embarrassed," and that it wouldn't happen again.

"Going forward, it won’t be an issue," Salisbury said after meeting with the commission.

The ethics investigation launched an investigation after Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers president Richard Ferruccio filed a complaint with the office in June.

“These omissions represent a serious breach of the ethical standards required of public officials,” Ferruccio wrote at the time.

The investigation found Salisbury omitted the out-of-state travel and didn't amend the filings until after Target 12 reached out with questions in June. When he first amended his filing, Salisbury added more details about the six trips, but he didn't know at time how much the British Consulate had paid for one he took in 2023 to England.

Salisbury eventually amended his filing a second time showing the international trip cost $3,900, according to the settlement.

Salisbury then began meeting with ethics officials and ended up amending his documents a third time because he hadn't disclosed some "family income sources," either.

The director then met with ethics officials on June 26 to review his entire filing, which "led to his filing a fourth amendment later that day." He added an additional family income source for income exceeding $1,000 for serving as a consultant to the Crime and Justice Institute.

"The amendment also added seven entities to which he or his spouse were indebted in an amount exceeding $1,000," according to the settlement.

Ferruccio on Tuesday expressed frustration that this issue ever had to reach this level of scrutiny, adding that he remains concerned with the amount of time the director spends traveling out of state.

"It's unfortunate that it got to this point, but I don't think it's curtailing his out-of-state travel," he said, adding that he plans to seek public records documenting the director's travel.

Salisbury and union leadership have butted heads ever since he became interim director in early 2023. Gov. Dan McKee earlier this year nominated Salisbury to serve as the permanent director, spurring intense criticism from the union. The R.I. Senate confirmed Salisbury in June.

As part of the settlement Tuesday, the ethics panel said Salisbury cooperated with its investigation and was willing "to voluntarily provide extensive documentation concerning expenses relating to his out-of-state travel."

"It also recognizes [Salisbury's] willingness to immediately correct any omissions on his financial statement, and his acceptance of responsibility for those omissions," the panel wrote. "Finally, and significantly, the settlement acknowledges that the investigation did no uncover any evidence that [Salisbury] misappropriated or improperly received any reimbursement funds from the state or a third party."

Sophia Szabo contributed to this report.